BROKEN BOW—After much discussion on Tuesday evening, the Broken Bow School Board will move forward with 2018-2019 teacher negotiations. Board member Tom Osmond summarized a twenty-school comparison that encompassed a breakdown of per-pupil costs. Osmond reported that Broken Bow has the second highest cost in that grouping at about $14,920 ($1,550 higher than the average). Osmond said the strategic plan goal is to move that number closer to the average.
Carl French and Pam Holcomb touched on next year’s budget, as it has a major impact on the teacher negotiations.
“I felt we would need to keep our budget flat again for another year to continue to try to work on our strategic plan. You know, we need to discuss that. It’s not like we’re going to take a formal vote on that or make any decisions before we move on to teacher negotiations,” French said.
Pam Holcomb responded, “I just don’t see how that’s going to happen but that doesn’t surprise me.”
Public input is appreciated according to Osmond, who says he takes that into account in order to do what is best for the school and the public.
A first ‘draft’ of teacher negotiations was approved after J.B. Atkins gave some background information on an array of other schools. Schools are required to fall in between 98 and 102% of the array in regards to salary base pay and sick day payout. KSB law firm suggests the school board leave the base pay at the current level ($34,350) which is $378 above 100% of the array.
Other recommendations were to limit the sick day maximum to 60 days to match the array, and to reduce the sick day payout to $50 per day to match the array. Term life insurance will likely not be affected in Broken Bow. Negotiations need to be completed by February 8.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the administration commended the annual Holiday Notes program. Kim Jonas reminded everyone to turn in Box Tops for Education (they bring in roughly $3,000 per year) and Ryan Hogue praised the FFA and FBLA groups for successful fundraisers. The FBLA sold 635 dozen donuts as part of its fundraiser.
A special meeting will be held on Friday at noon to discuss future superintendent needs following Tom Bailey’s resignation.
